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Outdoors In: Driftwood Hanging Rack

Mar 16, 2010

I just returned from my first walk on Lake Michigan of 2010. Fresh air, sunshine, and an early Northern Michigan spring have got me inspired to spiff up my house and change a few things to a lighter look. I've had this project in the back of my mind for a while, and now is the best time to collect the materials. The Big Lake has churned up all kinds of treasures over the winter, and I think I'm going to try to find the perfect piece of driftwood (before the tourists do).

This is so simply rustic and modern at the same time: A piece of driftwood with a few screw-in hooks from the hardware store. I'm inspired by this photo from Sunset Magazine, but I'll post a shot of my own version soon. If you aren't near a natural source of driftwood, you can find it online at Ebay or Etsy. Or fabricate a similar version from a well-dried tree branch. Happy Spring! —Diane

PHOTO: Rob Brodman for Sunset Magazine.

TAGS: driftwood rack hanging hooks reclaimed recycled repurposed upcycled wood project entry foyer storage solution

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Outdoors in: Rocks!

Jan 25, 2010

We Great Lakes dwellers are sort of obsessed with rocks because they're so plentiful and so beautiful, every color of a desaturated rainbow and worn smooth by the waves. Last Monday I featured Lisa's fabulous DIY rock lamp. Today, I'll show you a simpler way to enjoy the beauty of rocks in the house. Lisa got her hands dirty with a power tool and all, and yes, her results are truly enviable. But what did I do? I went to the beach and got some rocks. And then I put them under the foot of the bed. In-stalled!

I like a simple, unfussy bedroom, so I have a platform bed with no boxspring, no skirt, no nonsense. It makes a nice space for a little natural accent. Here it's dressed in its winter look with darker bedding, a textured throw pillow, and a faux-mink throw draped over the headboard. And I have a confession to make: that's not the real wall color. I've been thinking about sliding it down the spectrum in a cooler direction, so I played with it in Photoshop. Right now the walls are Sherwin-Williams Rainwashed, a soft aqua. But I like the looks of this cooler, greyer hue. I think the rocks like it, too. —Diane

Resources: Maple/ash bed, Baronet. Side table: Crate & Barrel. Wool area rug: Pier One. Bedding: Bed, Bath & Beyond. Throw pillow: Ikea. Wall lamp: George Kovacs. Panoramic photograph of Crystal Lake, Michigan: Brian Confer, Studio B Photography.

TAGS: rocks stones decorating decor modern bedroom acessories natural organic unusual ideas

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Outdoors In: Layered Decorating with Dried Flowers

Jan 12, 2010

My in-laws have a huge snowball bush in their yard. (Viburnum opulus for you gardeners!) It explodes with lofty white blossoms in summer, but I think it's at its prettiest in fall and early winter, when the blooms dry out and turn a toasty brown. Every winter I get some clippings from them to add some life to the house after the Christmas decorations are gone. The blossoms and stems are amazingly sturdy and shed very little.

Usually I stick a bunch in a vase and call it good, but I decided to turn this year's arrangement into a blog tip about using layers in decorating. Layering is especially nice in winter, when open spaces and cold surface are not so appealing. I worked from the top down to create this arrangement.

How to Create a Layered Dried-Floral Arrangement for winter

First I had the snowball blossoms and I knew they needed a pretty large vase. This one came off the clearance shelf at a crafts store for $5, but it has the look of artisan pottery.
To balance the wide floral arrangement, I wanted some kind of a wide base. A look around the kitchen produced this wooden bowl, a thrifted find that I use more for decorating than for dining. The bowl was really dry and dull when I bought it, but a few scrubs with lemon oil brought it back to life.
Next I threw a few extra blossoms into the bowl to make the arrangement more casual.
Finally, I wanted to introduce a cozy texture. I stole this small afghan (handmade by my hubby's aunt) off the living-room sofa, folded it in half, and used it as a tablecloth on my triangular 50s walnut table.

Photos and styling by Diane Kolak, Inspired Room Design, LLC

Could your house use a little winter pick-me-up? Why not send me an Inspired Question? Send your small design dilemma and a photo to me, and I'll answer it here on Room for Inspiration. The first one's free! Email me.

TAGS: snowball bush viburnum opulus dried flowers blooms blossoms layering decorating accessories winter floral arrangements texture

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Outdoors In: Easy Autumn Decor from the Woods

Oct 20, 2009

Painting by Traverse City artist Angela Saxon.

Fall color is at its peak here! The mood in my house completely changes as the maple and beech trees reflect their golden light back inside. Here's an easy way to bring even more color from outdoors in. You can preserve entire branches of colorful leaves with a few easy steps.

Cut branches with colorful leaves attached. Make several lengthwise cuts into the branch stem, 2-3 inches deep, to create more surface area for absorption. Quickly submerge the stem ends in a bucket of warm water. Let soak for about 2 hours in a shady spot.
Boil 1 part glycerin with 2 parts water in a saucepan. Turn heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes. Let solution cool completely and pour into a second bucket.
Remove branches from first bucket and place them into the second bucket with the glycerin solution. Store in a cool place until beads of moisture form on the leaves.
Remove the branches and wipe off the leaves, then hang branches upside down to dry.
Arrange dried branches for display. Think beyond the vase and use unconventional containers like baskets or wine bottles. Lay them horizontally on the mantel. Don't get too fussy about trimming and arranging— the wild look is all part of the appeal. —Diane

Decorating on a budget? Need creative solutions? I can help! Email me or find out more about affordable long-distance decorating advice.

This post is part of the HomeDigz blog party. Click for links to more inspiring home blogs.

TAGS: fall autumn leaves preserving glycerin glycerine decorating maple beech branches mantel decor

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Outdoors In: Clip your hostas.

Aug 22, 2009

We've had a lush (okay, rainy) summer in Northern Michigan. What we've missed in warm days at the beach we've gained in effortlessly beautiful green gardens. When the floral showstoppers have, well, stopped, reach for the greens. Hosta leaves are especially striking when arranged in a vase or a low bowl. And feathery ferns make a nice foil. I like the quiet but unexpected statement on the living room coffee table or in the entryway. —Diane

how about THAT vase?

Pewabic Pottery is made in good ol' Detroit. The studio was founded in 1903 during the start of the Arts & Crafts movement in America. The designs are timeless, still made with the same artistry and luminescent glazes as they were more than 100 years ago. The vase shown in the photo is the Iris Vase in Pewabic Blue, $250, available here. Also find beautiful tiles, trivets, dinnerware, ornaments, and address numbers in their online shop, pewabicstore.org.

Photo via Creative Commons License from flickr user hypergenesb.

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